Sex Abuse Charges Filed Against Former School Employee

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POWESHIEK COUNTY, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Public Safety says a former employee of the Montezuma Community School District has been arrested for alleged sexual contact with two students.

Twenty-eight-year-old Derek Bates is charged with two counts of third degree sexual abuse and one count of pattern, practice or scheme to engage in sexual exploitation by a school employee.

Investigators say they received a report on June 14th that Bates had sexual contact with two minors. Officials determined the incidents happened between March 2012 and July 2012. Both victims were students in the Montezuma school district at the time.

The Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Iowa Attorney General’s Office are all part of the ongoing investigation.

4 comments

BDaddy

Justice

The sad thing is that this happens at most high schools every year. I can think of 2 teacher/coaches that did this with high school girls back when my kids were in school. I have no idea why things like this aren’t reported all of the time but the two teachers/coaches at our local school both got away with it. The latest one was a wrestling coach who has left our local school and moved on to another school here in Iowa, and has also taken boys every year to state tournaments. So look out for who your kids are looking up to, people. You just never know.